Wedding Bands for H & P

I was commissioned to make a set of wedding band for H & P. The brief is simple & elegant, something that can be worn everyday. H & P decided they didn't want to just go into a typical jewellery shop to buy their wedding bands off the shelf. They wanted something that holds special meaning to just the two of them, not a design or brand name that could be seen on another couple's fingers.

Since their wedding ceremony is held today 29-Feb-2012, which is a leap year, I came up with the concept of using the phrase 'Leap of Faith' to signify the commitment to each other in a marriage and the celebration of this union on a leap year. The phrase 'Leap of Faith' is captured in timeless and elegant calligraphy font with chunky modern wide bands. Forged by hand in solid 999 fine silver. Satin finish with polished raised calligraphy.

These simple looking bands are more challenging to execute than it looks due to the size and type of font. Each letter is stringed, positioned & tweaked into place by hand, one at a time, no stamp was used here. I'm very happy with how it turned out and so is H & P.

Custom made His & Hers silhouette ring box

This is where it all started. A bit of scribbling on a piece of paper...

How it looks like in greenware stage pre-firing

My 5 minutes of fame...

Thanks to the lovely people at Simply Her, a Singapore based women's magazine, OpusMuse got it's 5 minutes of fame.

In the recent years, I've noticed a trend rising in Singapore, that is, many mothers are able to work from home or start their small home based business thanks to the advancement in technology and an embrace in the convenience of online retail. In my case, it was a dream come true. I was able to send my jewelry all over the world, even to countries which I've never been.

The article features women in Singapore who work from home, and how some of them juggle work with the upbringing of children. To me, this was a way that the society acknowledge women who desire to have a balance of holding their place in society and play an active part in the growing years of their offsprings. Very empowering!

So here's my little work studio in all it's glory. A space which I cherish with all things which are precious to me.

Simply Her November 2011 Issue...

XOXO!!
❤
Nicole | OpusMuse

Cupcake Popsicle Decorations

I saw some lovely cupcake photos recently from a popular blog and had been dreaming of them ever since. Our little girl is turning five next month, it's a good excuse to throw a party for her to celebrate and of course order some handmade cupcakes. Secretly, I wanted to make these easy and oh so pretty cupcake popsicle decorations. Our color theme for the party is pastel shades of aqua, pink and yellow. Don't you think they turn out pretty? I can't wait to surprise her with these! Try it out, I'm sure you'll love it. You know, I think big girls will love them too!

Apartment Therapy

After the long hiatus, some may be wondering what I've been up to. My online shop is rather neglected. I've been busy renovating and decorating our new apartment. Now the apartment is close to what I've envisage. I shall not bore you with the details of how we manage to pull this off, how we wrestle with the contractors. Here's the highlight: featuring traditional patterned metal ceiling, paired with bespoke wall paneling, raw copper clad kitchen cabinets and dark ash black solid oak flooring, the look is rough luxe but still feels like a home.

I will take my time to add personal touches throughout the home. Sometimes it's good to live in a new place for a while before decorating it, take time to get to know it better. The missing piece of puzzle arrived yesterday, our distressed leather sofa. After all that we've been through, problem with the delivery due to narrow lift and stairwell, we had to re-order a smaller piece to fit, waited for months for it to be custom made in Italy, it's finally here. But wait, it still didn't fit. The delivery guys had to take it apart and reassemble it on site. A royal pain, but looking at it in my living room now, makes those troubles melt away...

Architectural & Fine Details

There is a peculiar habit of mine, that is taking photos of architectural details & things with intricate details always grabs my attention. On a recent trip to London, it was a feast for my eyes. Thank goodness for the invention of digital cameras! I was trigger happy...

Natural History Museum ~ these stop me dead in my tracks, these dramatic arches & towering columns, I believe were hand carved by skilled craftsmen back in 19th century. Such intricate designs which are derived from plants & animals. I'm in awe.

The Tower of London ~ majestic & amazing ambiance

Exhibition of Armors & Weapons for Kings in Tower of London - such fine detailed work on armors & weapons you forget what their real purpose is for

Rings & Things (Metal Clay Class ~ Part 2)

Here are two simple pieces which I learned to make during my first two lessons. I designed a simple loop ring, with slightly curved taped band n satin finish with a prong-set synthetic green gem and a the leaf was a class project. The ring didn't really turn out as perfect as I want it to be. But I guess it'll do for a beginner.


Each piece takes more than half a day to make by hand without the help of machinery. I enjoyed making the leaf most. It takes patience and a steady hand as the leaf is composed by a repetition of carefully placing layers of soft clay on a real leaf and drying process. It may sound easy, but you need to find the right technique to form these layers in order to get a strong & solid piece. I love how this technique was able to capture the shape, curves & reveal the fine details on the leaf after firing and finishing. I decided to leave most parts of the leaf in brush matte finish and only shine up some parts around the edges and in the curved parts of the leaf to capture light like a real leaf would. I have not decided what to do with the leaf. This technique, possibilities of using other base materials started popping up in my head. I might try to make a lace necklace next.

Having done basic traditional jewelry metal smithing years ago, and now working with metal clay, I would say it's more tedious to create the same pieces shown here using the traditional method. The finishing process however is about the same. You still need to get your hands dirty, brushing, burnishing, filing, sanding & polishing to achieve a professional look. So ladies, forget about manicures if you are serious about taking up a metal clay course!

In the next lesson I will be learning how to create some interesting hollow filigree beads. I can't wait...

Ripples in the Water (Metal Clay Class ~ Part 1)

Recently I've taken up a short course in Jewelry Fabrication in metal clay. I've been contemplating this for quite some time before jumping in, and when I do, it has been a liberating experience so far. You know something good is happening when it gives you a buzz.

I will be sharing items I created during my class every now & then. This is my favorite piece so far made using metal clay in dough form in 99.9 pure silver. It was made by rolling, cutting, pressing & shaping the clay like you would with playdough. My design morphed into an asymmetrical 3D pendant, with circles in different size & shape, which looks like ripples in the water with stacked pebbles in the center. To bring out the organic shape in different levels, I've used shiny and satin finish in parts to give it texture & visual contrast. I've decided to turn it into a necklace accented with a petite wire wrapped marquise cut labradorite gemstone for a bit of luxe & color. I love the subtle blue flashes on the cool labradorite which incidentally also represents the water element in this design. I also have a thing with unique chains too, and this is using silver wheat link chain which I bought on a trip to Japan.

1ST Giveaway: Nostalgic Rose Ring

Just when I was thinking of how to get a giveaway going, Bridget, the writer of the lovely blog Mint Green With Envy approached me. So together, we collaborated and came up with my very first giveaway! I'm very excited to see what everyone has to say about my shop.

Join the giveaway contest here.
Contest starts: 04 April 2010 / ends: 18 April 2010
May the best person win...good luck everyone!

XX
Nicole

Sneak Peak

This is what I've been working on recently...some pretty and delicious gems which I've been hoarding for a while. In order to really preserve the natural beauty of the stone, I've decided to take the simplistic approach in terms of the design to let the gems shine. There will be more to come...stay tuned

Form & Function

I'm usually not the type to swoon over cute electronic gadgets, but this nifty little thing has caught my attention. I must say this is the cutest gift I've received this X'mas. It's a black Mickey Mplayer designed by iriver, a company based in South Korea. What I love about this is that the design remains simple and clean while incorporating core functionality. It's not overworked. You will see a lot of thought is given to the design of this Mplayer, right down to the packaging. The two spherical ears are functional, with one that controls volume and the other to forward/back soundtracks. The quality of the music output is good in my opinion. I especially love the earpiece. It's made to wear like a necklace with the mickey player as a pendant. The Mplayer comes in many delicious colors, I'm so tempted to collect a few more. Did I mention it has won a few design awards too? I'm absolutely won over. Thank you Cindy!

(photo source: Akihabaranews.com)

And here's the latest of the pack - Mplayer Eyes. The LED eyes display different eye signals when in operation, showing various menus such as Play, Rewind and Volume like a monitor. Now that's what I call a good design with form & function!

Distressed Luxe

I'm at the stage of gathering materials to make up a mood board for the interior theme of our new place, which hopefully will be ready by sometime mid of this year. We've now decided on a term which I made up - 'Distressed Luxe'. Do not mistaken it for Shabby Chic, it's not. It's a theme which I hope will achieve an old world feel with some form of luxury, without looking shabby. Yesterday, while at a local bookstore, browsing through mazagines, a favorite pastime which I love, I came upon this vision of the french style which I think fits the mood. I'm in love with the whole color theme: french blue, white, black with a subtle touch of gilded pieces.

The monumental Salone Grande, which was built in the Fifties and based on 17th-century plans. The summer home for the Prince & Princess of Borromeo, Italy. La dolce vita!

(Source: W magazine)

A little girl with long legs...

You must be wondering what this is? It's made of silicon...read on and find out!

As you know, a pair of chopsticks is an essential part of growing up as a Chinese. We were taught since young to use a pair of chopsticks to eat your breakfast, lunch and dinner. My daughter is now 3 years old, so as the Chinese half of the family, I'm suppose to impart her this skill...but it's not easy to a toddler teach how to use chopsticks. Some people takes years to really master it to the extend you could pick up spherical objects. It requires some talent! Me? Yes I can. :) You certainly need patience and lots of practice or you can get 'CHOPSTICK KIDS' to help...

While I was in Bangkok, I stumbled upon this cute nifty gadget named 'CHOPSTICK kids' (chinese with ease) in a homeware store. Now that really crack me up! It's essentially a figurine of a little girl/boy made out of silicon with chopsticks attached as legs. It helps to align the chopsticks so that you can take out a little bit of frustration. So now, my daughter would use it every now and then because it's colorful and fun too! You still need a little skill to use this. The trick is not too squeeze too hard or your chopsticks will cross, which is a no-no. It's also washable, soft and foodsafe, what more can a mommy ask for? Did I mention it's great for adults too?

Her Morning Elegance

Life is a journey...

hello my new found old friend,
an old electric sewing machine
saved from collecting dust in a corner
you were there all along but i didn't notice you until now...

You must think I'm silly, but when I first started sewing in my teens, it was on my grandma's antique Singer peddle sewing machine, so my memory of a sewing machine was that, not something in a box that is portable.

Deep plum linen passport cover with lime green scribble design, scrunched detail with contrasting fuchsia satin lining. Personalized with hand embroidered owner's name.

And so, my journey with you started again. I've decided to make a passport cover for a special friend. A friend who gave me the nudge, to realize my dream, to start my online shop. Her name is Sara. Thank you & Happy Belated Birthday! I hope with this passport jacket, it will start you on your own journey & take you places you wish to go or never thought of going before.

Happy Trails...❤nicole

Bespoke Poppi Lace Collection

Ah...finally finished a bespoke Poppi Lace collection for a customer in UK. She's going to wear them to a black and white themed ball in October. So cool! I'm very pleased with how the cufflinks and earrings turn out. Ah I can breath now...before I rush them off to the post office...

One week or so later...
my customer received them faster than I expected...here's what she has to say:
"I received the earrings, cufflinks and ring a couple of weeks ago - they are absolutely beautiful. THANK YOU so much. I shall pass on your details to my friends and also be back in touch with you when I need some more jewelry for a special event."

THANK YOU Emma, it's my pleasure!

Colours & Patterns

I'm really excited about the prospect of decorating our new place. The first inspiration that pops into my head is this is shop which I love to death ~ Designers Guild. This London based worldwide name is establish by designer Tricia Guild, who is the brainchild of this furnishing fabrics, wall coverings, upholstery empire. I admire their ability to mix colors and patterns with such flair & ease.

We're still undecided about what theme we're going to for this time for our new home. Rock Vintage? Shabby Chic? Baroque? It's a tough choice. But I do know what I like from this shop, and I'll share some of my favorite picks with you. I'm sure their website will inspire you too!

nabucco fabric, image from Designers Guild

copacobana fabric, image from Designers Guild

lebond fabric, image from Designers Guild

tsugar wallcovering, image from Designers Guild

aliseda fabric, image from Designers Guild

jorosa fabric, image from Designers Guild

Preview...

Here's a glimpse of what's to come at OpusMuse. Your lobes will never be lonely again...
I will be listing these colorful candies in my shop within the next 2 weeks.
Stay tuned!

LOVE is in the air...

Have you ever wondered how those romantic photos with colorful hearts floating on them are taken? I have. And I've always thought they were done using some photo software until I stumbled upon a website that shows you how to do it. This effect is called Bokeh, which is a word adapted from the word 'blur' in Japanese. In photography this term is used to describe the quality of the areas in the picture which are not in focus. And it can be easily done cheap and easy, with a bit of cutting & sticking plus some patience for trial & error. Really. And I'm not even a trained photographer.

The above photos in the collage is achieved using my Canon S5IS. I'm so excited I managed to get it on my first trial and I'm gonna share this with you!

What you will need:
a camera with large aperture lens
black paper
tape
penknife
paper puncher with various shapes (optional)

STEP 1

Cut a strip of paper about 1.5 inches wide, long enough to fit snugly around your lens.

Cut a circle slightly larger than the size of your lens and cut any shape about the size of 15mm in the center. Here, I've cut a heart shape. You may use a paper puncher if you like.
Note: If the paper you used is not black on both sides like mine, make sure that the black side is on the inside.

STEP 2

Step 3
My camera was set to Shutter Speed 1/4 or 1/5 and Aperture set to the lowest your camera can go, e.g. 2.7 (mine was about 3.5) when I achieved that effect. And make sure you zoom all the way out till you don't see a card with a hole in the middle in your view finder. Then try to shoot something very far away, preferably with strong lights like streetlights, candle lights, fairylights or traffic lights, car headlights etc.

Tip: If you still see an image like the one shown in the photo below in your view finder, zoom out more, till you can't see the heart shape anymore.


Here are some examples from others using different cut out shapes, which you can easily achieve with paper punch with different shapes.


I'm by no means a trained photographer, so for more technical details, please refer to this website on how to create a bokeh.

Now go try it out and come back to tell me how it went! Have fun!